AARCMCC have announced this week that effective immediately, modified touring cars in Australia will feature a mixture of 4, 5 and 6 cell cars.  4 & 5 cell competitors will get a weight break, running at 1375 or 1450 grams respectively (including timing equipment).  The changes are said by AARCMCC to be in response to the high frequency of motor/speedo failures in the modified class.
AARCMCC’s announcement (here) makes room for a review of the situation every 6 months to allow for improvements in technology removing the need for the arrangements, or to respond to changes in international rules.
It’s an interesting move and one bound to provoke controversy.  The changes have been made by the AARCMCC executive with no reference to member clubs (the usual protocol for AARCMCC) and just a couple of months before the National titles.
It throws a massive complexity into the mix with serious modified drivers now likely to want to test 4, 5 and 6 cell configuration on any given track to look for the best performing combo.  On a big track like Brendale, presumably 6 cell will still be the best choice – but that will only be confirmed by testing other options.  At other tracks, the situation will be much less clear.
Less difficult, (but still important) will be the job of scrutineers and event organisers staying in touch with which competitors are to be running at which weight.
It is worth noting that this has immediate impact only on sanction AARCMCC events. The Queensland championships later this month are not affected, as they run to ORRCA Qld rules.
In my view it’s a decision that has potential, but should have been implemented in consultation with racers and clubs.  It should also have started from 1/1/2007 at the earliest. I support the investigation into 4 or 5 cell racing, but changing the playing field this close to the Nats is a bizarre decision. 
The new/developing brushless technology also seems to be going some way toward dealing with the motor/speedy failures (at least for brushless motor users), but again, we are still yet to run in an Australian summer.
All this aside, it will be interesting to see what transpires. There are some lining up already to run 4 or 5 cell at the nats and take advantage of crazy motors like Novak’s Velociti 3.5 and the lighter weight limits.
So that’s what I think. Interesting decision, weird timing, strange process, complex (and costly?) consequences.